AL BUSTAN

Alserkal Avenue Public Space Rehabilitation

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Nestled within the dynamic Alserkal district, this project embodies a harmonious blend of form, function, and sensory experience. Under Vilma Jukurte’s thoughtful direction, the initiative brought together the talents of architect Tara Sakhi and landscape designer Zain Masud, creating an immersive environment that weaves together lush indigenous gardens, recycled materials, and a hypersensitive soundscape.

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The design softens the industrial character of Alserkal Avenue, inviting nature back into the space with curved green interventions that evoke the feeling of concrete cracking open to let plants flourish. Wadi pools are scattered throughout, offering water for birds to drink and linger, turning what was once an arid industrial space into a living oasis. Flexible seating, shaded areas, and gently tiered amphitheater steps invite visitors to gather - whether for intimate conversations, quiet retreats, or to watch interactive artworks and film screenings under the open sky.

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The space is also conceived in dialogue with Concrete, the multidisciplinary art space designed by OMA. Exhibitions housed inside are encouraged to spill outward, while the outdoor interventions naturally draw visitors in, creating a seamless sense of continuity between interior and exterior. The adjacent restaurants further enrich this flow, inviting people to bring food and drinks into the landscaped setting, blurring the lines between cultural, social, and urban life.

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